Man killed in Northeast Austin crash identified

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Both directions of U.S. 290 East were blocked for nearly six hours while authorities investigated a crash that killed one man early Saturday morning. Austin police said the single-vehicle crash happened around 5:20 a.m. on U.S. 290 East near Berkman Drive.

Police say 26-year-old Mohamed Mahdi Lambari was driving west about 5:19 a.m. when he veered left and struck a light pole in the grass median. The vehicle then crossed into the eastbound lanes and hit a guardrail before striking another light pole in the median and coming to a stop.

Lambari died at the scene. This was Austin’s 36th deadly traffic crash and the 43rd death of 2014. At this time in 2013, there were 52 deadly crashes and 53 deaths.